Woman loses licence after domestic spat

"I've never seen anything quite like it in 29 years ... and I
doubt I'm going to see something like it again."

Those were the words of longstanding Wanganui lawyer Stephen
Ross, speaking in Whanganui District Court yesterday.

Mr Ross was defending a woman who - in an act of revenge
against her partner - drove to Wanganui police station and
asked to be arrested for drink driving.

Inger Felicity Bjerga showed up at the Bell St station on
July 24 announcing that she wanted to be arrested.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Rachel Willemsen told the court
that a breath test showed the 32-year-old to have 622mcg of
alcohol per litre of breath, the legal limit being 400mcg.

Bjerga had an argument with her partner and wanted to get
back at him by having his car impounded for her drink
driving. But her efforts failed.

"The car wasn't impounded, so her actions achieved nothing,"
Mr Ross said, asking Judge Chris Sygrove to consider not
giving the mother-of-four a mandatory driving
disqualification due to the "peculiar circumstances".

Judge Sygrove told Bjerga it was a "most unusual situation"
after she pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess
breath alcohol.

"You were doing the right thing ... but doing the wrong
thing," he said, adding that at least she "saved the police
having to process you on the side of the road".

Bjerga, who had one previous drink driving conviction from 13
years ago, was ordered to pay $400 and court costs of $130.
She was also disqualified from driving for six months.